Carnation plant named ‘Koes’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant named ‘Koes’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; dark purple, red purple and pink-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on strong peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Dianthus caryophyllus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KOES’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant, botanically known as Dianthus caryophyllus, grown commercially as a potted plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Koes’.

The new Carnation plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new uniform Carnation plants with numerous attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Carnation plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2004 of Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Margarita’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,335, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Dianthus caryophyllus identified as code number A-16120-06, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Carnation plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands in July, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Carnation plant by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands since 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Carnation plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Carnation have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Koes’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Koes’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Carnation plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dark purple, red purple and pink-colored flowers that are         positioned above and beyond the foliar plane on strong         peduncles.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Carnation differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Margarita’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation have smaller and less waxy leaves         than plants of ‘Margarita’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Carnation are lighter in color         than flowers of plants of ‘Margarita’.     -   3. Plants of the new Carnation are more pathogen-tolerant than         plants of ‘Margarita’.

Plants of the new Carnation differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation are more freely flowering than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Carnation have larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Carnation and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have dark red and white-colored flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Carnation have longer peduncles than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Carnation can be compared to plants of the Carnation ‘Altea’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands, plants of the new Carnation differed from plants of ‘Altea’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Carnation were more vigorous than and not         as compact as plants of ‘Altea’.     -   2. Plants of the new Carnation flowered later than plants of         ‘Altea’.     -   3. Plants of the new Carnation were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Altea’.     -   4. Flower petals of plants of the new Carnation had a smaller         light pink-colored margin than flower petals of plants of         ‘Altea’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Carnation plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Carnation plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Koes’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Carnation production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 22° C. Plants were pinched one time four weeks after planting. Plants were three months old when the photograph and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Koes’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Margarita’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,335.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Dianthus             caryophyllus identified as code number A-16120-06, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About six days at 20° C. to             25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About eight days at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             weeks at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium in density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and             mounded plant habit; narrow inverted triangle.         -   Branching habit.—Freely-branching growth habit; when             pinched, about 15 lateral branches develop; dense and bushy             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 13.9 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 21.1 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 7.1 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 7.4 cm.         -   Width.—About 8 mm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A;             towards the base, close to 149B. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 143A; towards the base, close to 149B to             149C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C;             venation, close to 143A. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to N137C; towards the base, close to 145B to             145C; venation, close to 143A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Large double flowers; flowers             terminal and axillary, either solitary or in pairs; freely             flowering habit with typically about 60 flowers developing             per plant; flowers positioned above and beyond the foliar             plane on strong peduncles; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—Flowers moderately fragrant; sweet, clove-like.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering is continuous through             the summer and late summer in The Netherlands; plants begin             flowering about 13 weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 143A; towards the base,             close to 143B to 143C.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Quantity/arrangement: About 16 per flower             arranged in several whorls. Length, outer petals: About             3.6 cm. Width, outer petals: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Roughly             spatulate. Apex: Praemorse. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Center, close             to 67A; towards the base, close to N79A and 187A; at the             base, close to 145C to 145D; margins, close to NN155D. When             opening, lower surface: Center, close to 186D; towards the             base, close to 186B to 186C; at the base, close to 145C to             145D; margins, close to NN155A. Fully opened, upper surface:             Center, close to 61B; towards the base, close to N79A and             187A; at the base, close to 145C to 145D; margins, close to             65C to 65D. Fully opened, lower surface: Center, close to             186C; towards the base, close to 145C to 145D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five fused in a single whorl.             Length: About 2.4 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Oblong.             Apex: Broadly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 143C; towards the margins, close to 143D. Color,             lower surface: Close to 137B; towards the margins and base,             close to 144C to 144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils:             Quantity: About two per flower. Pistil length: About 9 mm.             Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 157D.             Style length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to 157D. Ovary             color: Close to 150D. Fruits/seeds: Fruit and seed             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Carnation. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Carnation have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Carnations. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Carnation have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Carnation plant named ‘Koes’ as illustrated and described. 